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Sometimes I do love when Google pesters me with remembering what I did a few years ago around this time! In this case, visiting Hampton Court Flower Show, which was absolutely beautiful. It also means that my little cactus (below) is now 4 years old (well to me anyway!). How time flies! I still love the bush animals! I need to go again.

So I am being joint Maid of Honour for my best friend this August and the Easter weekend involved having dress fittings (not too traumatic!) and hair trials and what not! Luckily – as I am a little wary of hairdressers – my little sister, who is an amazing hair person if I don’t mind saying, is doing the hair for the wedding day so it is someone that I trust! She is amazingly good and produces great results. So am just sharing her work as I thought the results were rather good and the bonus is that afterwards my hair looked all curly, yay!

I am so glad that it is Spring! I love this season, this vibe, it just suits me. But I do appreciate Winter for it’s own bleak loveliness, but I am a Spring girl. Born in May this is my season, my vibe. Already feeling stoked – even on this grey spring day as I can smell it in the air! So HELLO SPRING! Lovely to see you at last!

I maintained this week. Which is far better than a gain in my books. I am getting frustrated with myself though as I can’t seem to get fully back into the swing of things! I don’t know why exactly, maybe its because I keep getting distracted by life events! Who knows. I know our house stuff kept me occupied this week. I really need to get back into my exercise routine but on top of that I need to make sure I am eating the right things.

My resolution for the week forward is just to really be far more on it in terms of the food and being prepared for lunches etc. But to also hopefully get some exercise in. Perhaps its a January funk. I do always find January a bit of a funky no starter month. I know others love it, fresh starts and everything. I’m never sure. I think I feel more that way when Spring starts. Anyway, focusing on next weeks goals!

David Bowie was a legend, a rockstar and a genius. That is completely indisputable. He doubtless touched the lives of many different people, in different ways and through different mediums.

For me?

I will remember David Bowie as the Goblin King in one of my absolute favourite childhood films of all time; The Labryinth. For taking me on a journey into the Goblin kingdom with Sarah and all the other characters. I loved and adored this film and having a younger sister at the time seriously debated seeing if offering her up would let me hang out in this magical world (-don’t worry she’s happily annoying me to this day). Even today, late into my twenties, I can still happily curl up and watch it given the opportunity. Perhaps as a tribute I’ll do that this weekend.

I have been reflecting back on the year just been and what I have taken from 2015. 2015 was definitely not my worst year by any means, but it wasn’t my greatest, though to be honest I am never entirely sure which year was – perhaps my first ever year that I don’t remember?? But I digress, while not as stellar perhaps as I wanted 2015 to be or hoped it would be it had some great moments for me that I am not leaving it on a low.

Seeing the Foo Fighters – definitely in my top 10 moments of the year they were absolutely spectacular and I had an amazing night seeing them at MK Stadium with C in Sept.

Getting healthy & losing 1 and a half stone! This is the healthiest and fittest that I have felt in a very, very long time and I am not even done yet as I haven’t reached my target weight. I am so proud of myself for the weight I have lost and the lifestyle changes I have made, yes I have off days and even weeks, but I am human and as long as I keep believing in myself and trying for success I know that I will succeed.

Feeling in a place with C to begin looking for our first home. While our purchase is going slowly and it is frustrating and stressing the hell out of me I am still staying on the side of positive, at least we are able to buy a house and move in together. It has been forever in the offing and we are finally – after so many years of waiting – in that position! So that is a great bonus.

Our little holidays – the first down in Brixham in May – it was only a short break – less than a week – but it was one we needed and I enjoyed it very much being by the seaside. The Christmas Market weekend, Manchester was lovely and I wouldn’t rule out going to visit the city again.

Being in the same job for over a whole year – this is a weird one I know, but in the past few years I have been on so many short non-permanent contracts, or in internships that it really was hard to feel settled and feel as if I was accomplishing anything. But I completed my first year at my current job in Sept. I may not be in quite the exact job that I want to be, but I do enjoy it and it is a good job and I have actually been able to see the end result of my work, which gives a great sense of accomplishment.

Honestly, I had many more great moments, lots of other little adventures and memories in the year, such as CATS, hanging out with friends and family, but these are the things for me that stand out from 2015.

I am however looking forward to the New Year and the promise of 2016 and what I want to achieve in 2016. I have things that I want C & I to achieve as a couple; like move out into our own place, go on holiday, put aside savings and perhaps actually set a wedding date! But – what do I want? What personal goals do I have, do I want to set myself?

Be a little selfish – this isn’t as bad as it sounds. I am very good at giving my time to others, volunteering, going above and beyond, helping them to achieve their goals dreams or doing things when they want that I often end up feeling overrun, overused and under appreciated, as I don’t allow any time for me, or let my opinion be known and get frustrated because I am doing something I don’t really want to do. I still want to be a giving person in 2016 and for me being kind and helpful are very important but I also need to realise that I have to be a little selfish and do some things my way and on my own time to be able to give that 100% when its needed.

Don’t be scared to fail – I have to worry less about perfection, I love doing and trying new things, that isn’t the part that scares me. But often I let my creativity and my desire to start a poem, painting or create some DIY get overrun by my fear of it being a failure or not ending up the way I want. My goal in 2016 is to get past this, make the mistakes and realise that sometimes that ‘mistake’ is better than the perfect I was picturing.

Blog better – I have promised myself that I will blog better this year, be more consistent with updates and regular with posts – I have also been thinking of a blog challenge for myself ….and have a few ideas.

Take more photos – I love photography. It’s one of my favourite things in the whole world and I have been neglecting it over the past few years as I just haven’t had the time or inclination but my goal for 2016 is to get back into it, re-embrace it and rekindle what I love about photography.

Keep on with healthy. I may be feeling good and proud of myself but I will not get complacent and will keep pushing, staying healthy and setting myself goals.

Final thing – and perhaps more of a wish than a resolution, go abroad. I haven’t been out of the UK in five years. I need to see somewhere else in 2016 to sate my travel itches.

Well, this was a long post, but I hope that you will stay with me in 2016 and that I get to reflect back in 2017 on a great year spent with you all.